Don't discount the places everyone talks about right away in search of a more unique Instagram post. Avoiding the spots known for attracting tourists simply because they're too crowded or supposedly overrated is understandable, but there are certain places that simply no amount of tourists should detract you from seeing.
1. Walk through Central Park.
Cassidy O'Lear
Just because something is popular doesn't mean it's uncool. In fact, if something's popular then there's probably a reason for all the hype. Central Park is arguably the most beautiful part of Manhattan that's large enough to feel like your actually escaping city life. No matter the fact that you'll be one of may who ends up posting an artsy picture of the Boathouse or the Great Lawn, it should always make it on your itinerary.
2. Take a moment to stop in the New York Public Library.
Maybe it's just the remarkable difference from stepping off of the busy streets of New York and into calm or the way being there makes you feel like a character in movie with important research to get done. Either way, the library has a quality about it unlike most other New York attractions and the fact that it's free is an added bonus. Even if you have no intention in actually taking out a book, because honestly who does that any more, it has a certain quality that makes far more than other tourist attractions.
3. Board a train from Grand Central Station.
Crowds are inevitable, but they merely add to the atmosphere. It's one of the few places that can make travel seem less like the stress inducing scenario it often turns out being. Even if you're not intending on actually leaving the city it's one of those places that you kind of have to see when you're in New York.
4. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage just once.
Definitely the cheesiest one on the list, but corny is sometimes just necessary when it comes to Manhattan. Just being able to say you did it is what makes enduring the stares from real New Yorkers worth it. Like gondolas in Venice or BLAH, despite it being over priced and over done, everyone secretly wants to feel like a character in the movies riding one of these through central park.
5. Eat an overpriced meal at an expensive restaurant.
It's something all visitors and residents of the Big Apple should experience. It may be ridiculous paying $30.00 for a plate of pasta, but the story and the people watching of spending a night out a restaurant that everyone's talking about can be worth it on occasion. With a city so famous for good food and unique cuisine, a night of splurging is the ultimate way to fully embrace all that New York has to offer.
Add these to your list of things to do the next time you end up in Manhattan or use this as a reminder that things become touristy for a reason. It might be cool and different to skip the crowds for an undiscovered spot, but sometimes being cheesy and becoming a tourist for the day can expose you to the most amazing parts of places like New York.
